Product Description

Bestselling author Jean Strauss's memoir about her quest to unearth her past is an incredibly funny and touching journey that redefines the meaning of family and celebrates the universal connections that link us all.

Nominated for the Pulitzer Prize.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1387218 in Books
• Published on: 2001-04-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

Review
I meant to read just a few pages but could not put this down. It touched me to the core... -- Peggy Jackson

Not only is this an incredibly moving human story, it's as exciting as any detective story... -- Annette Baran, author of "The Adoption Triangle"

This is a very funny, very moving, very insightful book... -- Jameson Parker, actor and author

About the Author
Jean Strauss was born in California in 1955. A graduate of both UC Berkeley and USC, her previous works have included "Birthright: A Guide to Search and Reunion" (Penguin, 1994), "Forever Liesl: a Memoir of The Sound of Music" (with Charmian Carr, Viking, 2000, New York Times and L.A. Times bestseller), and "Letters to Liesl" (with Charmian Carr, Arete-USA Publishing, 2001).

She makes her home in California with her two sons and her husband Jon, a college president.

Customer Reviews

Five oars for Jean Strauss
If "beneath a tall tree" doesn't tug at your heart and bring tears to your eyes, go see your doctor for a checkup. Strauss bares her soul in this fascinating adventure about her life. Besides being enormously helpful to adoptees, it provides a deep, raw look into the mindset of an adoptee. Her fluid style makes this an easy read.

Great for adoptees looking to find out more
I am an adoptee and I'm currently in a stage of my life where I'm becoming more curious to find out about my birthmother and my background. I was kind of scared and didn't really know where to start, but this book really helped me to realize that I CAN do something about it and that it's really nothing to be scared of. It gave me the perspective of the birthmother as well, wanting to know about the daughter she gave up. I have a feeling that when the time comes to contact my birthmother, she'll be more receptive than not - something I was very unsure of before I read this book. Jean Strauss and her book have kind of helped me to get the ball rolling and start seriously thinking about contacting my birthmother.

Beneath a tall tree
Having recently been involved in a reunion with a sister that we did not know existed, this book (as well as other Jean Strauss books) gives valuable insight into the feelings of the adopted individual as well as some of the feelings of the other members of the family circle. Jean's struggle and sometimes blunt feelings toward her birth mother open up a new area of human feeling. How should we relate to this new person in our life and all these new relatives? All the details of the reunion and building a new relationship with siblings and her mother over the years gives valuable knowledge to others involved in their own reunion process. Jean shows us that a "blended" family can happen. She has not forgotten her adoptive family that raised her, but she also appreicates the family ties of her natural family. This book illustrates that you can have more than one mother/father. You can have many siblings and extended family and make it all work. We have done this in our family situation. This book is well worth the read. I highly recommend it to anyone in the reunion/adoption process.